The Strong One
by tuesday's child
Summary: The reactions to Wesley's death. (Assuming he died in Sleep Tight). Cordelia is back and the SUnnydale gang is here for the funeral. Slight A/C


The lobby of Angel Investigations was deathly silent. Cordelia glanced out the french doors that led to The Hyperion's small garden. The late afternoon light cast golden streaks over the dry fountain, the tropical plants vibrant in the daylight. Such a contrast to the mood inside. How had everything changed while she was gone? Everything was wrong, out of order. Painful. And it looked like a battlefield in the lobby, with an invisible line drawn between the sides.   
  
To the left, the Los Angelites. Fred and Gunn curled into eachother on the round couch. His hand ran in soothing circles over the tiny physicist's back. Cordelia stood nearby, hardly feeling Lorne's reassuring hand on her right shoulder. Behind them, Angel's office was still and silent; the door had been locked for days.  
  
To the right, the Sunnydale crew. Dawn lay stretched over Buffy's lap, the blond Slayer looking sad and uncomfortable. Next to them, Willow was watching Angel's office door expectantly, though they all knew he wasn't about to just walk out and greet them. Giles, having just gotten in from England a day before, was drinking his scotch at the window, a far-off expression on his face.  
  
Anyone would have assumed the two groups didn't know eachother, had they not all been dressed in black, all with the same stricken expression on their face.  
  
"Why a day funeral?" Willow asked suddenly, the sudden sound of a voice jerking Cordelia to attention.  
  
"What? Oh..." She sighed, "Angel refused to let us have a night ceremony. He said Wes deserved to be buried under sunlight. Besides, he wouldn't have been able to make it anyway. He's...way past brooding."  
  
Buffy stroked her sister's hair absently, then said, "It was a beautiful funeral. Xander and Anya would've come, if they knew. But we didn't tell them, we figured they should at least have their honeymoon."  
  
Cordelia smiled softly, "Can't believe Xander got married."  
  
"Neither can we." Willow said, the thought of Wesley's death momentarily lifting.  
  
"Has Angel said anything about trying to retrieve his son?" Giles asked, after several moments.  
  
"No." Fred whispered, "He's too grief-stricken to think straight."  
  
Those not clued in to the baby's existence had been filled in almost immediately after the group arrived from Sunnydale, but the funeral had taken their minds away from the subject of Connor.  
  
"Angel hasn't left his office in the four days since Connor was taken." Lorne said, "He hasn't spoken, either. I doubt he's even had any blood."  
  
Cordelia pulled herself away from the group and looked out the french doors into the sunny garden, "Wesley would know how to get the baby back."  
  
There was only silence behind her. The seer wiped angry tears away from her cheeks, "I should have been here."  
  
Before a comment could be made, the click of Angel's door made them all close their mouths. The vampire stepped out of his room, his eyes sweeping the lobby. Everyone silently waited for his eyes to lock witht he Slayer's. FOr the usual silent communication to pass between him. But Angel looked past her and to Cordelia.  
  
"You're back." He said, his voice hoarse.   
  
Cordelia nodded and stepped away from the doors, "Of course." She examined his face. His eyes had dark circles around them, and were bloodshot from crying and probably an insane ammount of alcohol consumption. "Are you..."  
  
She trailed off, not sure how to finish. Of course he wasn't ok. Who would be? Alive? No. Vampire. Cordelia didn't bother to finish the sentence. Angel didn't look at the rest of them, just to his seer, his friend. His...whatever.  
  
"I'm sorry." Cordy whispered, "I should've been here, instead of shacking up with Groo in--"  
  
"Don't." Angel stopped her with a raised hand, "Don't be sorry for being happy, even if it was just for a week."  
  
Cordelia but back a sob and hugged him tightly to her, "But I want to be sorry."  
  
Angel's arms wound around her trembling frame and he dropped a kiss on top of her head, "It's OK, Cordy."  
  
"Don't comfort me, Angel. You aren't allowed to be strong this time." She pulled away slightly, "Let me be the strong one for a while."  
  
Angel closed his eyes, "I have to be strong." He drew in a shuddering breath, "If I'm not--"  
  
Cordelia hugged him as his face crumbled and a sob ripped from somewhere deep in his chest. She ran her fingers soothingly through his hair and tightened her arms around his shoulders.  
  
"I lost them both." He cried, "Both..."  
  
Six pairs of eyes watched silently as the seer and the warrior sank to the ground, still wrapped in eachother's arms. There was silence, save for Fred's tiny sigh and whispered, "Kyrumption." 


End file.
